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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rash — hasty
  4. fork — in a road
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. board — a committee
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. perch — the fish
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. lie — to recline
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rash — a series

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com